Why are so many people online writing the word "intact" as two words ("in tact") these days? Then too, nobody seems to know the word "twice" any longer. They say "two times", but they never say "twice". Will "once" soon be altered to "one time" in order to simplify things and avoid confusing millennials? (rolling my eyes) I don't see people writing "cannot" any more either. Instead they write it as two words ("can not"). Are we merely witnessing the death of compound words or is it the end of literacy? What do you think, Rap?

Rap - Gru is a character in a wonderfully funny series of comic magazines drawn by Sergio Aragones. He is what Conan would be like if Conan had an inspector Clouseau style tendency to misunderstand and screw up everything, causing mayhem and disaster wherever he goes. Gru is very good at ONE thing: killing vast numbers of people with his two swords. He employs only one of them in a standard fight, but if facing a really large number of hapless foes, he will use both swords, hacking down literally hundreds of poor wretches until the survivors scatter in all directions. Groo lives in an ancient time of swords and sorcery and makes his living wandering about looking for "a fray" (meaning another chance to kill people). He has a faithful canine companion named Rufferto. Rufferto is a lot smarter than Gru, although one could say that about almost any sentient life form. Next to Gru, Shane would appear almost intelligent. This is Gru, accompanied by Rufferto. Gru and Rufferto

In a truly infinite universe with an infinite number of planetary names, it's inevitable that at least one will be named Moab. It's also inevitable that one will be named Planet, because in the solar system in which it's located, they don't call planets planets. They call them barcaloungers.

The Moab system was an inhabited planetary system in the Moab sector. This system consisted of the primary Alpha Moab and six planets. In the mid-22nd century, a Human colony was established on Moab IV. See the Star Trek series.

K, I'm going to cardiac rehabilitation, which is an attempt to make exercise feel good enough to become a regular part of my life. The infarct itself is irreversible, so I have to live with it. Right now it's kinda like the diabetes Type II I have (also courtesy of Agent Orange) -- well controlled and it scares the heck out of doctors and suchlike folks when I mention it (Dentist: "What's new?" Me: "Besides the heart attack?" Dentist: "WHAT!!!???").

Back in '62 or so my brother and I were plagued with chronic infections of our individual big toes -- mine left, his right. Eventually our respective toenails were removed, and that solved it.

However, the doctor left a tiny bit of something so that a nail of sorts would grow and protect the nailbed. The night before last my "nail" tore loose and was hanging by about hang of what should be there. Ouch, ouch, ouchy!

Today the podiatrist cut it off. The nail thingy, not my left great toe. Now the ouchy is different, and don't step on or otherwise annoy my toe if you wish not to become vitality-challenged.

Apparently this isn't too unusual because the doctor had a pre-made handout about toenail removal.

Yes, there is a city in Utah called Moab. There was also an ancient kingdom in part of what is now Jordan called Moab. In fact, given that there are billions of galaxies in the universe, each consisting of billions of stars, there is probably an entire planet somewhere called Moab. Just don't ask me exactly where it is.

If I lost 30 pounds I'd disappear entirely. And I was talking about the size of American bottles, REAL beer bottles. Bottles like Coors Light and Budweiser comes in. Never touch either of them, mind you.

To put it another way, it works out to 403,170 bottles of of beer of 355 milliliters each, or 143,125,350 milliliters. The average swimming pool that is 25 meters x 10 meters x (and average depth of) 1.5 meter holds 375,000,000 milliliters, so you couldn't by enough beer to fill a swimming pool. BUT a railroad tank car is limited by law to 130,597,000 milliliters, so you could buy 1.1 tank cars of beer. Mind you, the Idaho Legion goes through that much in a weekend.

Well, actually, Shane doesn't know how many six-packs of Molson's 750,000 Euros will buy...but he does know it's "a flippin' SHITLOAD worth!!!" And if he did have the money he'd be waiting outside the beer store at opening time, that is for sure. He'd probably try to buy their entire stock and get it delivered to his and Don's doorstep!

My wife got a phone call advising her that her Windows license is about to expire and that it is very important that she call a certain phone number immediately! I'm a bit curious as to how Windows got on her Apple iPad. Also a bit curious about what the person on the other end of that phone number would buy with the credit card info my wife would be asked to provide to renew her non-existent Windows license. Probably a snowmobile. Winter's just around the corner in Moscow.

Boy, that Jelliel Wintherbottom III must be a dumbass of truly heroic proportions! Who in their right mind would entrust Shane McBride with any amount of money, much less 750,000 Euros? Does Mr. Wintherbottom III know how many six-packs of Molson's that will buy? Shane does!

There are Certain Photographs that have come into my possession of a Ms Rutledge and a hamster named Corridus. These photographs are, shall we say, of a rather shocking nature. Indeed, they might upend the Rutledge family entirely by demonstrating just what "goes on" in such Ancient Families. I am certain you would not desire that the name of the Rutledge family and that of Ms Rutledge in particular be dragged through the open sewers of public discussion. Therefore, if you will have Mr. Shame McBride deliver €750,000 in small denomination, used, banknotes to a location to be named upon your agreement, we shall deliver the photographs and the negatives to your abode.

Sincerely yours, Jelliel Wintherbottom III

--LH: I do not know why I received this nor where it came from. It showed up in my mailbox yesterday and I pass a true and exact copy on to you as you are obviously the intended recipient.

Hey, MOM! I'm retired. I picked up my tea mug and phone charger and walked away from a job that had become pretty darned awful (though most of the people were very nice). Now I need to do something else to make a living, but with less stress, I'll have the health to actually do another job.